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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. firm — decided
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — a company
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — to tease
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. track — a path
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. pit — a hole
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pit — in a race
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com